YTU Students Achieve 11 Awards and 2 Special Prizes at TEKNOFEST 2026

Yıldız Technical University students achieved significant success at TEKNOFEST 2026, Türkiye’s leading technology and innovation festival, with 47 teams reaching the finals across a wide range of technology competitions.

YTU participated in TEKNOFEST 2026 with 292 teams and 366 projects, competing across 64 different categories. The university’s teams secured a total of 11 placements and 2 special awards, highlighting the students’ capabilities in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles to unmanned aerial systems, biotechnology, quantum technologies, and mining technologies.

The teams achieved four first-place, two second-place, and five third-place finishes, alongside two special awards.

First-place awards

Falak Team - Artificial Intelligence in Aviation Competition

Alaca Doğan - International UAV Competition, Rotary Wing Category

AESK - Robotaxi Passenger Autonomous Vehicle Competition, Ready Vehicle and Original Vehicle Categories

Second-place awards

Abdül Basitadam, YTU graduate - E-Commerce Competition

Tarlis Teknoloji, represented by Abdulgazi Şimşek and Elif Ece Doğan - T3 Foundation Scholarship Holders Artificial Intelligence Creathon
 

Third-place awards

AESK - International Electric Vehicle Competition, Hydromobile Category

YTU-YODA KESTREL - International UAV Competition, Free Mission Category

ORION II - Biotechnology and Innovation Competition, University and Above Project Category

Henüz Ölçülmedi - Quantum Technologies Competition, Software Category

Yıldız Maden - Mining Technologies Competition

The teams also received two special awards. AESK won the Most Original Software Award in the Robotaxi Passenger Autonomous Vehicle Competition, while Re-Tau-Ch received the Best Presentation Award in the Biotechnology and Innovation Competition.

Other YTU teams also achieved notable rankings, with Derin Mavi Underwater Team finishing seventh in the Unmanned Underwater Systems Competition, Derin Mavi Air Defense Team finishing 11th in the Çelikkubbe Air Defense Systems Competition, and Dilek Team placing 17th in the Mining Technologies Competition.

During TEKNOFEST Southeast Türkiye, YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik and YTU Yıldız Technopark General Manager Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip visited the teams at their exhibition stands, reviewed the students’ projects, and discussed their competition experiences and achievements with the teams and their academic advisors. The strong performance of YTU teams at TEKNOFEST 2026 reflects the university’s continued commitment to research, innovation, hands-on technological development, and interdisciplinary teamwork, while contributing to Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative.